Pearl Gibbs (1901-1983)

Photo taken 1954 (Fairfax Photo Library)

Name/short biography/cultural background Sorry, no blacks allowed (Goodall 1983), these 4 powerful words were the beginning of one womans mission to gain equality for all aboriginal persons. Pearl Gibbs was a major figure in aboriginal political activism, first making headlines in the 1920s for her defence of aboriginal rights. Pearl Gibbs spent her entire life fighting for aborigines who did not have a voice.

Pearl was born of mixed blood in 1901, her mother, Margaret Brown, an aboriginal woman of Niemba and her father, David Barry, a white station worker. Pearl and her family located around the Yass and Brewanera areas in earlier times. Pearls schooling experience was racially segregated (Goodall 1983), she was a target like many aboriginal woman to racial abuse. She attended a catholic school in Yass after being refused entry into the local state school. In the 1920s Pearl married and became Mrs Gibbs.

Significance of contribution to indigenous Australia & Australia as a nation, How does this person represent and maintain contempory cultural identity, Personal discussion on this person.

Pearl began her lifelong work by organising Aboriginal protests and speaking on behalf of other aboriginal persons. After discovering that young aboriginal women had been removed from their settings and unwillingly been apprenticed by the Aboriginal protection board (DDLSU-Political life) she acted as an advocate with the board to assist them.

During the great depression in the 1930s, Gibbs lost her job and relocated to La Perouse an unemployed workers camp (Goodall 1983). It was soon in Nowra that Gibbs organised strikes by aboriginal pea pickers who worked under appalling conditions. These experiences increased her distrust of the boards officials but also created her first links to political bodies and ministers in the New South Wales Parliament (Horner 1983). Being a member of the Aborigines Progressive Association she began public speaking, drawing in huge crowds, focusing on apprenticeships, school and hospital segregation, health and the meagre Board rations on Aboriginal reserves (Radi 1988).

Gibbs also worked with Bill Ferguson, another Aboriginal activist, to organise the Aboriginal Day of Mourning on Australia Day, 1938. The Aboriginals Progressive Association issued this press release saying; The 26th of January 1938 is not a day of rejoicing for Australias Aborigines; it is a day of mourning. This festival of 150 years so-called progress in Australia commemorates also 150 years of misery and degradation imposed upon the original native inhabitants by the white invaders of this country (Patterson & Ferguson). Many great aboriginal activists attended this day all fighting for

equality.

The Aboriginal Australian Fellowship was now created. The main idea of this was so Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people work could work together on equal terms (Gilbert 2005). Pearl organised a rally at the Sydney Town Hall, calling for a referendum. This campaign led to the referendum of 1967 which changed the two parts of the Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal people.

Pearl continued with her life-long ambitions with many more achievements including; establishing the first hostel in NSW for the hospitalisation of aborigines, engaging in radio and newspaper interviews and maintaining a large number of support through citizens and the government.

The following is an excerpt from an interview about land rights, one which pearl has made clear is a huge problem; Something must be done, she said. Theres no good saying: Give Australia back to the Aborigines. Thats not the answer. Certain portions of land should be returned to Aborigines. It will be many years before we get land rights and for states like NSW there will be a tough time ahead (Jeffery 1983).

Land rights of Aborigines has been a huge debate during recent years, Pearl has created a platform for Aboriginals to take back what is theirs (Bamblet 2012). The native title claim has provided indigenous Australians to claim land which holds significant interest to Aboriginals.

In Gilgandra, NSW my home town, I have personally witnessed and discussed these events with the aboriginal community. In 2005, Local aboriginals celebrated the return of the pines. The pines

holds great significance to the Aboriginal people as it is where many families lived for generations. Aboriginal Elder Fay Bamblett believes Mrs Pearl Gibbs spoke a voice which in turn created the platform for returning land belonging to Aboriginal people I agree.

Even though Gibbs has passed, her hard work and dedication is still very much associated with every movement in Aboriginal equality today. Gibbs work continues to help organisations such as the Aboriginal Land Council. The aboriginal population of Gilgandra are now scattered through the town in housing provided primarily by the Department of housing or the Aboriginal housing corporation (Gilgandra NSW 2012).

As I have lived in an Indigenous community my whole life, I find it necessary to include the above information. I have experienced firsthand the work Gibbs has accomplished. I respect the work Gibbs has achieved, it has changed the lives of many aboriginals my friends and family included. Pearl Gibbs spent her entire life fighting for the equality of the Aboriginal community, she succeeded in many ways.

Pearl Gibbs was a great ambassador and speaker for the Aboriginal people.

References

Goodall, Heather 1983, Pearl Gibbs, some memories, Aboriginal History, VOL. 7, Part 1, pp.20

Goodall, Heather, 'Pearl Gibbs', in Radi, Heather (ed.), 200 Australian women: a Redress anthology, Women's Redress Press, Broadway, 1988, pp. 211-213.

Heather Jeffrey, Pearl has been breaking down 20th centurys racial barriers, Dubbo Weekend Liberal, 2930 January 1983, p. 82

Stephanie Gilbert, Never forgotten, Pearl Gibbs (Gambanyi), Part 5

Discovering Democracy Lower Secondary Units Political Life, Biographies of four Australians who were politically active outside parliament http://www1.curriculum.edu.au/ddunits/units/ls4fq3acts.htm#Gibbs

Cultural Heritage History, Gilgandra NSW www.gilgandra.nsw.gov.au/community/culturalhertitage/history

Fay Bamblet, Aboriginal Elder Gilgandra NSW, conversation 2012